of denver



April 24. 1928. 1,667,234

R. E. BARNARD FLUME CONSTRUCTI ON Filed March 1. 1927 II Ilia. v

NV NTOR! Patented Apr. 24, 1928.

- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

nussnnr. E. ABNARD, or DENVER, cononano, ASSIGNOR TO THE R. HARDESTYMANU ACTURING AW-ff coMrANY, or DENVER, COLORADO, A CORPORATION or COLO-FLUME CONSTRUCTION.

Application filed March 1, 1927. Serial No. 171,785.

My invention relates to improvements in sectionalnsheet metal flumes ofthe type transversely disposed cross beams.

shown and described in U. S. Patent No. 1,584,290, issued May 11, 1926,to Rudd Hardesty. I i I In the flume Construction disclosed in thepatent, abutment sleeves and wedging shoes cooperate with suspensionrods and bevel bars to secure the sections of whichthe flume isomposedin water-tight contact with each other and to suspend thestructure from It has been demonstrated in practical use that the shoesmade separate from the sleeves are, under certain conditions,disadvantageous particularly with respect to the assemblage of the partswhen the flume is being constructed or repaired, and it is an object ofthe present invention to eliminate the shoes from the fiuine structureby the provision of an abutment sleeve of novel construction which inaddition to its own function, performs every function of the shoe withequal if not better effect and which greatly facilitates the work ofassembling the parts of the flume structure in their proper relativepositions.

An embodiment of the invention has been illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings in which like parts are similarly designated throughout theseveral views and in which Figure 1 represents a fragmentary sideelevation of a flume constructed in accordance with my invention,

Figure 2, a transverse section along the line 22 Figure 1, drawn to anenlarged scale,

Figure 3, a further enlarged section of one of the improved distancesleeves together with the other parts of the flume suspending means,with which it is directly associated,

Figure 4, asection taken on the line 44, Figure 3,

Figures 5 and 6, views similar to Figure 8, showing modifications in theconstruction of the abutment sleeve, and

Figure 7, an enlargedsection along the line 7-7, Figure 2.

The flume structure as shown in the drawings comprises a series oflongitudinally alined semi-cylindrical sheet metal sections 5 whichoverlap one another at their adjoining ends. The lapping ends of thesections are beaded as indicated at 6 in Figure 7, and they are engagedat opposite sides by a suspension rod 7 and a so-called bevel bar 8 bothcurved in conformity with the flume. it

The rod 7 which is disposed exteriorly of the flume, has its endsprojecting through vertical bores in one of a. number of cross beams 9from which the flume is suspended,

the bores being bushcd with the metal abut-I ment sleeves 10 which arethe principal subject of the present invention.

The sleeves as shown in Figures 2 and 3,

sponding end of the respective bevel bar with a wedging effect. e a

The upper ends of the rods are screwthreadied for the application ofnuts 12 which in practice bear upon washers 13 placed in engagement withthe upper ends of the sleeves. iVhen the nuts are screwed down upon thewashers the rod is drawn tightly around the lapping ends of the flumesections while atthe sametime the bevel bar is forced inwardly by thewedging action of the beveled projections at the lower ends of thesleeves.

The rods indent the beads of the flume sections as illustrated in Figure7 and the several parts of the suspension element, thus cooperate toproduce a water-tight tween the sections.

The abutment sleeve illustrated in Figure 3 may be made of wrought orcast Iron, while that shown in Figure 5 can be made of fiat materialdie-cut and formed with an open side seam, or of tubing cut to providethe slanting lip 10 which as in the first de-. scribed form of theinvention, is the part by which the bevel isforced to engagement withthe inner surface of the flume. v

In the form shown in Figure 6, the sleeve has in addition to theprojection 10 and in opposed relation to the same, a downwardlyprojecting tongue 10 which by enga ement with the suspension rodprevents the rod from being canted when the nuts are screwed home uponthe washers.

The sleeves made as shown and hereinahove described provide adependable, strong and rigid means for the suspension of the flume andthe water-tight connection of the sections of which it is composed, theypermit of self-adjustment of the flulne struc- 'ture in case ofshrinkage or decomposition of the wooden cross beams Withoutreadjustmentof thenuts and they furthermore provides space betWen thefiunie and the cross abutntientsleeve for flurne structures comprise inga tubular body :lnelnber, and at an end thereof, anintegral lateralPlOJQCUOIl having a Wedging surface slanting relative to the axis of thebody member.

2, As a new article of manufacture, an abutment sleeve for flumestructures comprising a tubularbody member and at an end thereof, anintegral lateral project-ion having 'a We'dging suit-face slantingrelative to the axis of the body member, and opposite to saidprojection, an integral downwardly ranging tongue.

3. In a flume structure, the combination with. a tiume and a cross beamhaving openings for the suspension thereof, of a rod and a bevel barengaging the flulne at opposite sides thereof, the rod projectingthroughthe openings of the beam, bushings in the openings, havingintegral projections bearing on.

the ends of the bevel bar, and nuts on the endsof the rods, bearing onthe bushings.

4c. In a. fiume structure, the combination with a fiume and a cross beamhaving openings, having integral projections bearing on the ends of thebevel bar, and nuts on the 1 ends of the rods, washersengaging the upperends of the bushings, and nuts bearing on the Washers.

5.111 a .fiume structure, the combination with a flunie and a cross beamhaving openings for thesuspension thereof, of a rod. and a bevel barengaging the flume atyopposite sides thereof,the rod projecting throughthe openings of the beam, bushings in the openings, having integralprojections bearingon the ends of the bevel bar, and havingopposite tosaid projections, integral downwardly. ranging tongues bearing on therod, and nuts engaging ontheends of the bar, and nuts on the ends of therods bearing on the bushings. In testimony whereof I have afiixed mysignature.

RUSSELL E. BJXRNARD.

